Gifts Passed On
by Bishiehuggler
Summary: It's Father's Day today, but what if you don't have a father? Iruka reminisces in the past until a flying orange ball decides to bug him.


I wrote something! Even though it's a horribly rushed piece of junk, since I decided that Iruka definitely deserved some attention! It's Father's Day, so what better to do than write a small one-shot about Naruto and Iruka's relationship? The whole craft bit is because I always used to make crafts for Father's Day in my Elementary School. I'm sorry about some of the awkward sentencing! I also tried my best to keep them both in character, please forgive me if I haven't! (covers head and hides)  
  
Gifts Passed On  
  
"Happy Father's Day!" He watched a small girl run up to a larger man he presumed to be her father and thrust a vase they made in class into his chest. Her father laughed and picked the little girl up, twirling her around.  
  
He used to put together crafts when he was that girl's age, but Iruka remembered the entire Father's Day ritual started with his mother. She would wake him up early and he (with much protest) would pull out ingredients and cook up some golden brown pancakes with her for breakfast.  
  
Then he would run off to school to work on the craft the teachers helped them with the entire week. This was his favourite part of the day. Not only would he get half a day off, he got to play with paint, markers or whatever was around the room.  
  
"Dad! Dad!" He would scream after he came home, "I made you something! Happy Father's Day!"  
  
"Wow, it's lovely, Iruka! Errr...What is it?"  
  
"It's a pencil holder! Can't you tell?"  
  
"Not really." A sheepish grin.  
  
"Daaad!" He whined, but quieted as his father thumbed the scar across the boy's nose. It was the man's sign of affection.  
  
"I'm ready, guys!" His mother would come down in a nice outfit, beautified with make up and lipstick.  
  
"Took you long enough!" Iruka would grumble.  
  
"Oh be quiet!" she'd lightly smack his head and kiss his father at the same time. After giving his parents a squeamish look (Ewww! Mom's kissing dad!), they'd all file out of the house for dinner at a particular restaurant. It was a tradition they held ever since Iruka was born.  
  
That was up until his eleventh year of life, the year he was made an orphan. 'That Day' rolled around and he got up early all by himself. He made pancakes for a family of four and placed them at the table only he sat at now. The craft he put together later that day joined the cold and forgotten pancakes at his father' s spot. He sat and stared at the arrangement with a blank expression. What was the point? He didn't bother going for dinner, because he didn't have a father to celebrate anymore. Instead, he ran up to his room and locked himself there, throwing himself onto the bed, crying until his throat was raw.  
  
---  
  
The years passed and father's day, along with every other family-oriented holiday, became just another routine to him. From dawn 'till dusk, he would numbly watch his peers and children younger than him revel in the special event. It didn't matter to him anymore. The sharp stings of pain dulled to a lonely ache, straining his heart every time it beat even up to the present.  
  
"Iruka-sensei!" he heard a jubilant young voice call. Probably one of his students wishing to thank him for all the effort he put into assisting them. He turned around his face was immediately accosted by red and green gift wrap. "Happy Father's Day!"  
  
"Naruto? What on earth are you doing?" he pulled the present out of the energetic blond's hands and gave it a squeeze. The wrapping crackled underneath his hands, and he instantly knew whatever the present contained was squishy. "And why is this in Christmas wrap?"  
  
"I needed to save money! You know how expensive this shiny paper junk is?"  
  
"But what's with the gift?!" Iruka's voice was rough with impatience.  
  
"Because, because!" the short boy crossed his arms over his chest in stubbornness. His look suggested that the answer was the most obvious one in the world. "You're the closest thing I've got to a father, and I wanted to thank you!" Seeing his teacher's eyes widen, he instantly grew shyer, afraid of rejection or disapproval. His feet became very interesting. "I mean, it's just something I saw in the store...and Sakura said it looked like something you'd enjoy. And, ummm..."  
  
The wrapping paper fell to the sidewalk and a small stuffed dolphin was revealed. Turning the plush upright, he noticed there was a large hole. "Naruto? What's this for?"  
  
"It's a coffee cup holder! Can't you tell?"  
  
It was deja vu for Iruka, and suddenly he could feel how his father did those long years ago. There was a small swelling of pride, plus the light and airy feeling someone has when they are singled out for something important. "Of course, Naruto! I...just momentarily forgot." he grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Man, are you getting senile in your old age?" Naruto said, scrunching his eyes shut and a puzzled expression settling across his mouth.  
  
The teacher couldn't control the irritation that rose against his former student. Old? "What the heck did you just say?!"  
  
A blur of orange would have been seen hurtling down the streets if Iruka hadn't grabbed Naruto by the neck of his jacket. "Hey."  
  
"Huh?" Naruto stopped struggling and gazed up at his teacher.  
  
"Would you like to go out for dinner?"  
  
"Yeah! Ramen!"  
  
Iruka smacked him upside the head. "No!" He sighed as Naruto rubbed a large red bump poking through his blond mop. "My parents and I used to go out to this really nice restaurant every Father's Day."  
  
The smaller gave the man a prize-winning smile, his whisker birthmarks framing clear blue eyes. "Sure Iruka-sensei. It's your choice. After all, it's your day."  
  
They began to walk down the street, backs to the sunset.  
  
"Do you even remember where this place is?"  
  
"Naruto!" 


End file.
